(1) Field of the Invention
The general technical field relates to aircraft and in particular rotorcraft or helicopters. More particularly, the invention relates to instrument panels installed in the cockpits of such aircraft.
Even more particularly, the invention relates to an instrument panel for two pilot seats arranged side by side. The dials of such instrument panels are being replaced more and more by multifunction display screens (MFD) that the pilots need to touch regularly. Making such multifunction screens accessible has, thus, become a non-negligible constraint in the design of instrument panels.
(2) Description of Related Art
For example, plane helicopter instrument panels are known that include dials or multifunction screens where crew members are obliged to lean forwards to a greater or lesser extent in order to reach them. Those instrument panels present the drawback of leaving the entire central zone and also the top zone of the instrument panel out of the reach of crew members without them moving or leaning from their seats.
Instrument panels are also known that present two parallel planes with one that extends under an anti-glare shield. Such instrument panels make it easier to reach the dials or screens situated in the top portions of said panels, situated above the cyclic stick. Such instrument panels present the drawbacks of leaving the entire central zone out of the reach of crew members unless they move or lean in their seats.
Instrument panels are also known that present three inclined planes. One of the planes projects from the bottom of the instrument panel and another is situated in the center of said instrument panel. Those instrument panels make it easier to reach dials that are situated at the same height as the pilots' knees. In particular, the inclined central plane makes it easier to reach the central zone of the instrument panel. Such instrument panels nevertheless present the drawback of leaving a zone on either side of the central zone out of reach for crew members, unless they move or lean from their seats.
Certain documents have been taken into consideration, i.e.: U.S. Pat. No. 7,425,891; EP 0 607 585=U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,827; FR 2 586 625; DE 4 005 605; U.S. Pat. No. 7,307,549=US 2007/008188; FR 2 585 823; US 2007/198141; CA 2 380 708; U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,615; FR 2 650 988.
Amongst them, document FR 2 585 823 describes a helicopter cockpit including a remote display unit and a control and processor dashboard unit. That cockpit of a CH47D helicopter of the United States Army shows the locations where typically it is possible to mount the remote display unit and the control and processor dashboard unit. The remote display unit and the control and processor dashboard unit are small enough for it to be possible for them to be installed in the existing space, without modifying the various pieces of equipment used in the cockpit of a helicopter.
Document US 2007/198141 describes an instrument panel for a crew of at least two people. However the two crew positions are very dedicated to certain functions since there is a “driver” and a “commander” with different pieces of equipment to handle. As a result, the figure shows clearly an instrument panel having five flats, two of which are turned strongly towards the crew member concerned. That document does not propose a structure in which each crew member can read at least five screens, while having access to the controls of three of the screens. That document does not provide a so-called “podium” arrangement. However, in a helicopter, the functions are symmetrical: in the event of one crew member being wounded or of one screen failing, the other crew member must be capable of piloting without changing position. In addition, that document does not describe an “offset” on which it is possible to install displays, nor functions that can be switched symmetrically without moving from a respective position.
The above-mentioned drawbacks constitute a genuine problem, in particular in the context of tactical flight missions during which the safety harnesses of crew members are blocked.